27 Mar 12 20:47, Mark Hofmann wrote to Roy Witt:   
      
      
      
    RW>> Everybody does that now days. Your wife's Dodge is proof of platinum   
    RW>> plugs   
    RW>> going the distance, even when they're 45k miles beyond what the   
    RW>> factory recommends. It would be interesting to know what brand they   
    RW>> used back in 2000.   
      
    MH> I plan on finding out soon enough when I replace them.  I have been   
    MH> unable to find out what spark plugs they use from the factory on the   
    MH> 2001 Durango 4.7.   
      
   Something tells me that they'll be Bosch. German made.   
      
    RW>> Since they haven't used gaskets (per se') for over a decade, what   
    RW>> exactly was it that failed? i.e. Since 1997, LS engines use o-rings   
    RW>> on a 'gasket' carrier look a like.   
      
    MH> The "gasket" that is used on my lower intake is made out of rubber,   
    MH> with a metal frame.   
      
   Yeup...as are the o'ring gaskets.   
      
    MH> The real problem ended up not being the "gasket", but the heads and   
    MH> lower intake themselves having what looked like "rotting" (like a   
    MH> cavity). Due to the aluminum being eaten away, it sprung a leak.   
      
   That usually occurs when non-distilled water is used to replace 50/50   
   coolant. The factory recommended that you use 50/50 coolant to replace   
   that which has leaked or boiled out of the system. Plus going too long   
   between coolant changes. Don't believe that 5 year statement on the   
   coolant container.   
      
    MH> At 67k, the dealership put some type of goo to try and seal it after   
    MH> taking the lower intake off.  That worked for about 70k more miles   
    MH> and then it failed again.   
      
    MH> The people that replaced my motor believe the original heads might   
    MH> not have been casted properly.  They couldn't really explain what had   
    MH> happened.   
      
   Old Pontiac engines use an aluminum timing chain cover that also passes   
   coolant through part of it to the water pump, located in it. My 1970   
   Firebird had a problem with the aluminum corroding away the aluminum that   
   surrounded coolant passage way, a stainless steel sleeve that was cast   
   into the cover. That was due in part by the former owners who used   
   non-distilled water as a replacement for lost coolant.   
      
   I expoxyed the corroded aluminum after cleaning it up and drilling a few   
   'attachment' holes to keep the epoxy in place. That lasted about 10 years,   
   but eventually gave way to more corrosion. I eventually replaced it after   
   stranding myself at the shop one night while I was retrieving a file   
   folder that I had at the office. I had the new aluminum cover powder   
   coated to keep it from the same fate as the original. It's  probably still   
   out there without any corrosion after all these years.   
      
    RW>> That engine was also used in the Lumina and Malibu, and they haven't   
    RW>> faired any better. Malibu's can be picked up cheap these days and   
    RW>> after a head gasket job, they can last longer than they originally   
    RW>> did.   
      
    MH> True.  That is my plan.  Rebuild the car better than it was to start   
    MH> with. I'm already 75% there.  :)   
      
   It's a never ending cycle...   
      
      
                   R\%/itt   
      
      
     ... Only those who will risk going too far can possibly   
     ... find out how far one can go ~ TS Eliot   
      
      
   --- Twit(t) Filter v2.1 (C) 2000-10   
    * Origin: Roiz Flying \A/ Service * South Texas * USA * (1:387/22)